Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash
It is impossible to imagine a company without a marketing department. However, just like with every other aspect of the business environment, marketing has changed as well, and if we want to make our company stand out, we definitely have to think outside of the box. Not only because this is one of the segments that require a lot of investment without being completely sure it will pay off, but also because this is one of the things that will make both customers and potential employees see something in you.
That being said, one of the biggest marketing trends right now is sustainability and choosing the “green” way of advertising a company, a product or a business – the opposite of the excessive use and production of promotional material that was very popular up until a couple of years ago.
The social media game
It is not a secret that social media, in general, is the biggest and best platform on which you are supposed to advertise a business or a product. According to The Guardian, people spend approximately three hours on their smartphones a day, checking their email and different social media accounts. In order to become sustainable and advocate a “green” approach to marketing, it is important to use this to your advantage and also save paper on leaflets and other marketing material that end-consumers would most likely throw in the bin. Targeting and creating important content for your social media is the #1 step towards sustainable marketing that is going to become even more important in the future. This is also a great way to establish your brand persona online that you can later on use in many different ways.
Blogging and search engines
Apart from regular and already well-known marketing campaigns conducted via social media such as Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, a sustainable brand should be very familiar with blogging and search engine optimization. Having a blog really means a lot to the company as they can use it to post different announcements in a longer format than via standard social media channels.
This is also connected to search engine optimization, the efforts taken to help your website reach high ranking on a search engine search. In order to do this, one should know all the benefits of a white label SEO service that is going to help them pick the right keywords and create great referrals to their website. Many different things matter for a first-page search engine result, such as the relevance of the website references that are used and the actual reputation of the website. This advertising method is extremely big right now and most importantly, quite sustainable as it requires no use of paper and has a minimal carbon footprint.
Word of mouth
The story that you are telling as a company or a business is indeed a huge marketing tool for itself, and it will not use any visual aids, nor will it affect the environment. Word of mouth has always been a very important factor for both customers who are choosing the company they want to go to and the potential workers and employees looking for a job. Being completely sustainable and encouraging people to be green while at office (which would, for example, include recycling paper or the use of reusable products such as glasses and plates) is a good way to go and present yourself as a modern and sustainable company. This is so big right now that even Forbes named Word of Mouth as the most important social media as end-consumers tend to trust it the most.
On the other hand
On the other hand, there are some ways of advertising that might not be quite “green” but are still very effective, and even though plenty of companies advocate the “green” policy, they tend to sidestep it from time to time. Using paper, leaflets and different kinds of posters has always been a good visual aid towards attracting potential customers and workers, but even so, there are ways in which a company can do this in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way.
The best way is to use sustainable materials or recycled paper. Even though it might be a bit pricier than using regular paper and regular materials, this is the way advertisement will be done in the future. Thinking outside of the box and being open to following the latest trends takes the company one step closer to positive brand perception, which is detrimental right now. This is what makes the brand well-known and a strong competitor on the market.
To sum up, marketing is a very important segment of any business, and it does require certain investments. However, even though being sustainable and green might be pricier at times, it can save a lot of expenses for the company if thought properly, and it can do wonders for the business in the long run. Being recognized as one of the most sustainable companies or businesses in the area is certainly a role that everyone wants.
Written by Claire Hastings
About the Author
Claire is a wanderer and a writer. She writes as long as she can remember, and she is very passionate about fashion, running, other cultures, and her cat.
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